Device for graduating the release of the brakes.



W. V. TURNER.

DEVICE FOR GRADUATING THE RELEASE OF THE BRAKES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1910 1,131,181. Patented Mar. 9, 191-5.

Q N N Q ,2} 1 Q Q 1 Li i, 1 1 I n I WITNESSES I INVENTOR HE NORRIS PETER (7a., PHOTO'LITHON WASHINGTON. D C

WALTER V. TURNER, OF EDGEWOOD,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR GRADUATING THE RELEASE OF THE BRAKES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed September 26, 1910. Serial No. 583,712.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER V. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Graduating the Release of the Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fluid pressure brakes, and more particularly to improved means for controlling the exhaust of fluid from the brake cylinder for effecting a gradual or partial release of the brakes.

The principal object of my invention is to provide improved means for graduating the release of the brakes and which may be applied to and operated in connection with the usual standard automatic brake equipment.

In the accompanying drawing, the single figure is a diagrammatic view of a car air brake equipment with my improvement applied thereto.

As shown in the drawing, the brake equipment may comprise a train pipe 1, triple valve device 2, brake cylinder 3 and auxiliary reservoir 4, all of which may be of the usual standard construction. According to my invention a release valve device 5 is provided having a piston chamber 6 containing a movable abutment 7, the chamber at one side of the abutment being connected by a pipe 8 to the auxiliary reservoir 4 and the chamber at the opposite side of said abutment being connected by a pipe 9 to the train pipe 1. The abutment 7 operates a valve 10 adapted to control communication from a pipe 11 leading to the exhaust port of the triple valve device 2 to an atmospheric exhaust port 12.

In addition to the valve device above described, a final release valve device 13 is provided having a piston chamber 14 containing a piston 15 for operating a valve 16. The piston 15 is subject on one side to the pressure of a spring 17 and on the opposite side to brake cylinder pressure, supplied thereto through a pipe 18. The valve 16 controls communication from triple valve exhaust pipe 11 through branch pipe 19 and piston chamber 1 1 to an atmospheric exhaust port 20.

The operation of my improvement is as follows: The brakes may be applied in the usual manner and the brake cylinder pressure acting on the seated area of piston 15 forces the same to the position shown in the drawing, in which position the valve 16 closes the exhaust port 20. If it is desired to graduate the release of the brakes, the brake valve is turned to release or running position and then back to lap position. The increase in train pipe pressure thus produced causes the triple valves to shift to release position and fluid from the brake cylinder is free to flow from the triple valve exhaust port into the pipe 11. The piston 7 is also operated by the increase in train pipe pressure, as will be evident, and the valve 10 is thereby operated to open communication from the pipe 11 to the atmosphereic exhaust port 12. Air from the brake cylinder is thus released and this flow of air continues until the auxiliary reservoir pressure acting on one side of the abutment 7 has nearly equalized with the train pipe pressure on the opposite side thereof, then, owing to the lesser area of the abutment exposed to train pipe pressure than to auxiliary reservoir pressure, the abutment 7 and valve 10 are shifted to close the exhaust port 12. It should be noted that as the triple valve is now in release position, the auxiliary reservoir is being charged from the train pipe through the usual triple valve feed groove until the auxiliary reservoir pressure becomes equalized with the train pipe pressure.

Further increase in train pipe pressure may be made and the brake cylinder pressure reduced by corresponding amounts until a point is reached where the auxiliary reservoir is being charged through the feed groove of the triple valve device at about the same rate as the feed valve is supplying air to the train pipe. Since the rate of increase in train pipe pressure is now but slightly in excess of the rate of increase in auxiliary reservoir pressure the differential of pressures between the train pipe and auxiliary reservoir acting on the abutment 7 is not sufiicient to effect the movement of the abutment and the valve 10 therefore remains closed. Under this condition there may be 5 or 6 pounds of air still remaining in the brake cylinder which cannot be released by the operation of the valve device 5 and in order to fully release the brakes a final release valve device 12 is provided. The piston 15 of this release valve is acted upon by the brake cylinder pressure to keep the exhaust valve 16 normally closed but when the brake cylinder pressure has been reduced to a point less than the pressure of the spring 17, then the piston 15 is actuated by the spring and the free exhaust port 20 is opened to the triple valve exhaust pipe 11 and the remaining fluid in brake cylinder is released.

The stem 21 of the piston 7 is preferably provided with a seat ring 22 adapted to seat when the piston 7 is in the open position and thereby prevent leakage from the train pipe. In addition, a check valve may be provided in the pipe 11 to prevent the back flow of air from the train pipe to the brake cylinder through the pipe 11.

The brakes may be entirely released after a brake application by turning the brake valve to running position and leaving it there. The more rapid rise in the train pipe pressure than in auxiliary reservoir pressure will then maintain the abutment 7 and valve 10 in the open position until the train pipe and auxiliary reservoir pressures have nearly equalized then the valve 10 will close, but by this time the fluid release valve 16 will have opened and the remaining fluid in the brake cylinder will be released.

The valve end of the piston 7 being in the form of a piston reduces the effective area of the piston 7 which is exposed to train pipe pressure, so that said valve device is adapted to operate to close the exhaust port 12 before the auxiliary reservoir and train pipe pressures have become fully equalized.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device subject to the opposing pressures of the train pipe and auxiliary reservoir for controlling the exhaust port of said triple valve and a check valve for preventing back flow through said exhaust port.

2. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a. movable abutment having differential piston heads subject to the opposing pressures of the train pipe and auxiliary reservoir and a valve operated by said abutment for controlling the release of fluid from the brake cylinder.

3. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a movable abutment subject on one side to auxiliary reservoir pressure and on the opposite side over a reduced area to train pipe pres sure and a valve operated by said abutment for controlling the gradual or partial release of fluid from the brake cylinder.

4. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device operated by an increase in train pipe pressure for controlling the gradual release of air from the brake cylinder and a second valve device for also controlling the release of air from the brake cylinder.

5. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device operated by an increase in train pipe pressure for controlling the gradual release of air from the brake cylinder and a second valve device for effecting the final release of air from the brake cylinder.

6. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device for controlling the gradual or partial release of fluid from the brake cylinder, and a valve device governed by the pressure in the brake cylinder for controlling the final release of fluid from the brake cylinder.

7. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device for controlling the gradual or partial release of fluid from the brake cylinder, and a valve device subject to the opposing pressures of the brake cylinder and a sprin for controlling the final release of fluid mm the brake cylinder.

8. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device for controlling the gradual or partial release of fluid from the brake cylinder, and a valve device comprising a movable abutment subject to the opposing pressures of the brake cylinder and a spring and a valve operated by said abutment for controlling the final release of fluid from the brake cylinder.

9. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device comprising a movable abutment subject to the opposing pressures of the train pipe and auxiliary reservoir, and a valve operated by said abutment for controlling the gradual release of fluid from the brake cylinder, and a second valve device comprising a movable abutment subject to the opposing pressures of the brake cylinder and a spring and a valve operated by said abutment for controlling the final release of air from the brake cylinder.

10. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device comprising a movable abutment subject to the opposing pressures of the train pipe and auxiliary reservoir and a valve operated by said abutment for controlling the exhaust port of the triple valve and a second valve device comprising a movable abutment operated by the pressure in the brake cylinder and a valve operated by said abutment for also controlling the exhaust port of the triple valve device.

11. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a valve device operating upon an increase in train pipe pressure for effecting a gradual release of fluid from the brake cylinder and a second valve device operating upon a predetermined reduction in brake cylinder pressure Copies of this patent may be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the for eflecting the final release of fluid from the brake cylinder.

12. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a movable abutment constantly subject on one side to auxiliary reservoir pressure and on the other side over a reduced area to train pipe pressure anda valve operated by said abutment for controlling the release of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER V. TURNER. Witnesses:

A. M. CLEMENTS, B. A. OLIVER.

Commissioner of Iatentl,

Washington, D. 6. 

